Reviews & Commentary

Keep Smiling - What else is there when experiencing a life of mediocrity?

Experiencing the viewpoint of the central character, the viewer of "Keep Smiling" follows the path of a relentlessly distressed man who struggles with the mediocrity of his life. With a very engaging and creative opening scene, this short film is compelling from the start and fascinates with its implementation of the first-person perspective. The subjective camera is supplemented by a babbling, stream-of-consciousness voice-over, as the protagonist expresses his self-doubts in nearly every way possible. The film is a perfect depiction of a constantly-worrying character whose failures are a self-fulfilling prophecy.

While most of the story seems to be rather serious, the climax of the final scene transforms it into ridicule and gives a wink to the theme of the film. So, if you're hoping to find an answer to how the protagonist finds deliverance from his hopelessness, you'll be waiting in vain. Instead, the director gives his audience life advice in general: Don't take life, yourself, or this film too seriously.